The Windsock celebrates 68 years of serving Cherry Point
SECNAV visits 2nd MAW ball
2nd MAW motivation run
CPL. SCOTT L. TOMASZYCKI MCAS CHERRY POINT
LANCE CPL. S. T. STEWART
Maj. Gen. Glenn M. Walters, right, commanding general of 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, leads a formation of more than 1,100 Marines and Sailors with the 2nd MAW in a motivation run commemorating the Marine Corps’ 237th birthday Nov. 9 aboard the air station. Walters thanked the Marines for their dedication and sacrifice and spoke about how proud he is of the unit’s success.
The Secretary of the Navy joined the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing’s Marine Corps birthday ball celebration in New Bern, Nov. 7. The honorable Mr. Ray Mabus served as the guest of honor during the ceremony celebrating the Corps’ 237th birthday. “I am very happy to be with you all tonight, very happy to see 2nd MAW here at your home, just as I was very happy to see you forward deployed in the two visits I made with you in theater,” said Mabus. “Tonight is all about history, tradition, heritage – as it should be. The Corps has an unbroken line from that day in 1775 for 237 years protecting America, defending freedom, standing for the principles that made the Marine Corps great.” Mabus makes an effort to visit Marine battlefields around the globe to see the history first hand. He’s been to Guadalcanal, Belleau Wood, Iwo Jima, and recently returned from his 10th visit to Afghanistan, where he expressed his appreciation for Marines fighting in the present day. See SECNAV page A9
Fleet Readiness Center East delivers last H-46 CPL. SCOTT L. TOMASZYCKI MCAS CHERRY POINT
The H-46 model “Phrog” helicopter has served the Marine Corps for nearly 50 years, but its era is drawing to a close. During a ceremony here Nov. 9, Fleet Readiness Center East sent off the last HH-46 helicopter it will service to Marine Transport Squadron 1. The helicopter is being replaced by the MV-22B Osprey, the Marine Corps’ tiltrotor aircraft, which can lift off and land like a helicopter or fly like a plane. VMR1 is the last Marine squadron on the East Coast that flies the HH-46. The training school for H-46 pilots on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., has trained its last pilot and closed its doors. “For 46 years, this command has supported the war-fighter with the maintenance, repair, overhaul, (modifications) and upgrades of the H-46 helicopter,”
said Col. Mitchell A. Bauman, the commanding officer of FRC East. “The H-46 assault support aircraft was always there. If you need beans, if you need band-aids, if you need ammo, if you need reinforcements, or you need the wounded to be evacuated, the H-46 was the first responder in most instances.” During its service, the helicopter served as the primary medium transport helicopter. It went with Marines nearly everywhere they operated. Before being replaced by the Osprey, reinforced Phrog squadrons provided Marine Expeditionary Units with all of their aviation support needs. “I had the privilege to fly this aircraft for 28 years,” said retired Col. Eugene Conti, a former CH-46 pilot. “We were in Bosnia, we were in Liberia, we were in Somalia, we did some events in the southern Caribbean. It’s a Phrog pilot’s tour. Wherever the MEU goes, you get to
go with it.” Evidence of the Phrog’s eventual disappearance was evident in the hangar. Hundreds of people gathered around the single, solitary green and orange helicopter in the back as if to bid it farewell. In the front of the hangar, several new Ospreys lay in various stages of deconstruction as mechanics worked to get them into flying shape. “It’s been a tremendous platform, but its replacement, the V-22, is just a phenomenal platform,” said Conti. “It will provide all of our Marines the tactical aviation support they’re going to need well into the 21st century. It’s tough to see this beautiful old aircraft retire, but we all retire. It’s just the nature of the beast. Technology develops to the point where you have to stay with it in order to remain effective as a fighting force.” See HELICOPTER page A9
PHOTO BY CPL. SCOTT T. TOMASZYCKI
Fleet Readiness Center East recently completed the last H-46 model helicopter refurbishment it will perform for the Department of Defense and released it for operations during a ceremony at Cherry Point on Nov. 9. The hangar formerly dedicated to servicing the helicopters will be used for the MV-22B Osprey, the replacement for the Sea Knight.
Official email not for social media registration STAFF SGT. ROMAN YUREK MCAS CHERRY POINT
Day, his response was quick. A native of Pittsburgh, Sauerland saw the opportunity to honor a lost brother, his squadron and all service members by soaring over the bright lights and cheering crowds of Heinz Field during the national holiday. Sauerland took the mission on personally
Tweeting a recent success at work or sharing family photos on Facebook is a part of normal daily life for many Americans. Marines are no exception with photos of a recent promotion or reenlistment appearing on Facebook or Twitter seconds after the ceremony is complete. Engagement on social media platforms is a great way for Marines to keep in touch with family and friends in their hometowns and around the world. But before creating a new motivational social media account, be aware of Marine Administrative Message 590/12. This message, titled “Responsible and Effective use of Internet-based Capabilities,” includes restriction of using official Marine Corps email when registering on a commercial social media site. These commercial sites and internet-based capabilities are not owned, operated or controlled by the Marine Corps, Department of the Navy, Department of Defense or the federal government. Some of the sites this applies to include: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google Application, dating sites and online stores. Cheryl Donlon, an information assurance specialist with the air station Telecommunication Information Systems Directorate, stated that the use of non-DoD email servers like Yahoo and Google are allowed for limited personal use to register for social media sites. “Commands can authorize the use of social media sites during down time like over lunch periods or after hours,” added Donlon, who also reminds users that the ability to engage in social media is authorized on government computers for limited personal use. There are two exceptions that allow the use of official email addresses being used on social media or internet-based capabilities.
See FLYOVER page A9
See EMAIL page A9
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Fireworks explode over Heinz Stadium during the Pittsburgh vs. Kansas City Chiefs Veterans Day game Nov. 12. Marine Attack Squadron 223 conducted a flyover before the game.
’223 raises the roof at Heinz Field LANCE CPL. GLEN E. SANTY MCAS CHERRY POINT
When Lt. Col. William Sauerland, commanding officer of Marine Attack Squadron 223, heard about a request for an AV/8B Harrier squadron to conduct a flyover at the Pittsburgh Steelers’ home game against the Kansas City Chiefs on Veterans
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